Makei in Moscow, Russia intensifies anti-Western rhetoric

Vladimir Makei – head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, paid a visit to Moscow. The Russian Foreign Minister – Sergei Lavrov, after a meeting with Makei on September 2, condemned the interference of foreign forces in Belarusian affairs. He attacked NATO and the EU for their declarations on Belarus and accused Ukraine of sending about 200 “trained extremists” to Belarus in order to destabilize the country. Makei, in turn, announced that Belarus would impose retaliatory sanctions on people from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The day before, these three countries imposed sanctions on 30 representatives of Belarusian authorities, including President Alexander Lukashenko. Lavrov made it clear that Moscow does not intend to contact the opposition’s Coordinating Council at all because it was not established in accordance with the law and there are people who hold an anti-Russian position in it. Chiefs of the General Staff of Belarus and Russia – Alexander Volfovich and Valery Gerasimov – discussed on September 2 the military cooperation between the two countries and preparations for joint maneuvers. The conversation took place by phone. The generals spoke about, among others, the upcoming Russian Caucasus 2020 strategic command and the joint Belarusian-Russian-Serbian Slavic Brotherhood 2020 wargame, which will take place on the territory of Belarus. “The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service is closely following what is happening in Belarus, as well as the plans of the West in relation to this country,” said Sergey Naryshkin on September 2. The head of the SVR RF assured that he remains in contact with the Belarusian special forces. At a press conference in Washington on Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the United States is demanding an immediate end to violence against citizens and the release of political prisoners from the Belarusian regime. The head of American diplomacy confirmed that the US and European countries are working on sanctions. Pavel Latushko – a member of the leadership of the opposition’s Coordinating Council, came to Poland on Wednesday. The Belarusian state media reported a fake news that Latushko slipped out of the country in the car of the Polish ambassador in Minsk. In fact, he left legally, invited to the Economic Forum in Krynica. According to Latushko – also the former ambassador of Belarus to Poland, this is the beginning of his trip abroad, during which he wants to seek support for the protests in Belarus. In Poland he plans meetings with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the government, then he goes to Lithuania, where he will meet with diplomats, parliamentarians and MEPs. Later he intends to return to Belarus. The question today is whether he will be allowed to come in. The regime has shown that it will use every opportunity to get rid of people considered dangerous to the authorities. Tsikhanouskaya has been forced to emigrate whilst only recently Archbishop Kondrusiewicz – head of the Catholic Church in Belarus, has not been allowed to enter the country.

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